How to Get a Duplicate Montana Car Title
Although a lost car title can be an inconvenience, the state of Montana has made ordering a duplicate title a relatively simple and inexpensive process. If you've lost your Montana car title but plan to sell your car, wait until you've obtained the duplicate title before you advertise it, since you cannot legally sell a car without a title in your name.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Personal check or money order for application fee
- Application for Replacement Certificate of Title form (form MV7)
Instructions
-
Instructions
-
1
Fill out an Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title, which can be obtained either online at the Montana Department of Justice's Driver Services website, or in person, through either the Montana Department of Motor Vehicles in Deer Lodge or your county treasurer's office. If don't have Internet access or cannot physically get to your county treasurer's office, call the state Title and Registration Bureau at 406-846-6000 to request that an application be mailed to you.
-
2
Fill out the application. The information you'll need to complete the application includes the year, make and model of the car, as well as the title number. According to Joann, a Bureau Chief with the Montana Motor Vehicle Division, "If you don't know the title number, you can leave this field on the application blank." Also write down your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which is engraved on a metal plate located on the driver's side of your car dash, at the base of the windshield. Additionally, record your car's license plate number and year of registration expiration on the application. On a Montana license plate, the expiration month and date are on the registration sticker, which is located on the top right corner of the rear license plate.
-
-
3
Pay the application fee. Write out a personal check or obtain a money order for the required amount, made out to the State of Montana. The application fee is $10 if you own the car or if there are no changes in the lien information. The application fee is the same if you've paid off your car; however, if your original title included lien information, include a copy of your lien release with your application, so that this change can be reflected in your new title. If you have not paid off your car but the lien information has changed, include with your application a copy of the signed loan agreement and an application fee of $18.
-
4
Submit your application in person or via mail. According to Joann, if you take the application in person to the Title and Registration Bureau in Deer Lodge, you can receive a duplicate title the same day, provided no other pending transactions exist. Another option is to take a completed application to your county treasurer's office, which should allow you to receive your title within two weeks. If you choose to mail your application, use the mailing address located at the top of the application form. Expect a wait time of approximately four weeks before you receive your title in the mail.
-
1
References
Resources
- Photo Credit a car in a car show image by Gary from Fotolia.com
